Vice President of Sales

Productive Machines; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uncapped commission

Leadership role

Share options

North America build leadership

Job summary

Productive Machines is seeking a senior commercial leader to build the North American business from the ground up. You will own the enterprise sales cycle, generate new opportunities, and convert pilots into licensing revenue while establishing reference accounts.

You will work with the leadership team to shape go-to-market strategy, recruit and scale the North American sales organization, and drive commercial success across aerospace, defence, automotive, medical devices and precision

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience selling enterprise industrial technology.
• Demonstrated success in generating and closing new business.
• Strong existing network within aerospace, defence, automotive, medical devices or precision manufacturing.
• Proven ability to consistently exceed quota.
• Experience selling technical software or advanced manufacturing technology.
• Ability to engage confidently with engineers and senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the North American sales strategy.
• Build and manage a high-quality sales pipeline of enterprise manufacturing opportunities.
• Identify and secure lighthouse customers across target industries; conduct pilots and convert to licensing revenue.
• Establish Productive Machines as a trusted technology partner for leading manufacturers.
• Work with leadership to shape commercial strategy and market positioning.
• Own the complete enterprise sales cycle from initial engagement to contract signature.
• Lead product demonstrations and executive presentations; manage paid pilots to deployment.
• Negotiate commercial agreements and close enterprise software opportunities.
• Develop long-term customer relationships, upsell opportunities and references.

Skills

Enterprise software sales

New business development

Pipeline management

Executive engagement

Negotiation

Territory building

Networking in manufacturing sectors

Job description

• Gather competitive intelligence

Requirements

This is a rare opportunity to establish and grow Productive Machines' North American business. As our first commercial leader in the region, you will be responsible for building pipeline, winning lighthouse customers and establishing Productive Machines as the leading Physics-AI machining optimisation platform across North America. You will inherit a number of qualified opportunities generated through our existing customers, marketing activities and industry engagement. However, this is predominantly a new business development role. Success will come from opening doors, leveraging your network, creating new opportunities and consistently winning enterprise customers. This is not a role for someone who relies on distributors, resellers or strategic partnerships to generate business. Our focus is direct customer engagement, building reference accounts and creating measurable commercial success. Strategic partnerships will be considered selectively where they accelerate growth, but they are not the primary route to market. As our first senior commercial hire in North America, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our go‑to‑market strategy, and helping build the future US organisation as part of the management team.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the North American sales strategy
• Build and manage a high-quality sales pipeline of enterprise manufacturing opportunities
• Identify and secure lighthouse customers across our target industries, conducting pilots and then converting these to licensing revenue
• Establish Productive Machines as a trusted technology partner for leading manufacturers
• Work closely with the leadership team to shape commercial strategy and market positioning

New Business Development

• Generate new opportunities through your existing network and proactive prospecting
• Own the complete enterprise sales cycle from initial engagement through to contract signature
• Identify and qualify high-value manufacturing opportunities
• Develop compelling business cases demonstrating measurable improvements in machining productivity, cycle time, tool life and manufacturing capacity
• Convert technical value into compelling commercial business cases

Enterprise Sales

• Sell directly to organisation via roles that will encompass CAM programmers, to senior machinists, and operations through to leadership teams
• Lead product demonstrations and executive presentations
• Manage paid pilot programmes through to enterprise software deployment
• Negotiate commercial agreements and close enterprise software opportunities.

Customer Development

Work closely with customers to:

• Identify suitable pilot projects
• Work with the technical team to deliver successful proof‑of‑value pilot engagements
• Convert pilots into enterprise software deployments
• Develop long‑term customer relationships, upsell opportunities and reference accounts

Market Intelligence

• Gather competitive intelligence
• Identify emerging manufacturing trends
• Provide market feedback into product development
• Influence pricing, packaging and future commercial strategy

Company Growth

• Help define the future North American sales organisation and recruit additional commercial resources

Requirements

Essential

• 10+ years' experience selling enterprise industrial technology
• Demonstrated success in generating and closing new business
• Strong existing network within aerospace, defence, automotive, medical device or precision manufacturing
• Proven ability to consistently exceed quota
• Experience selling technical software or advanced manufacturing technology
• Ability to engage confidently with both engineers and senior executives
• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience operating independently
• Comfortable building a territory from the ground up

Highly Desirable

• CAD/CAM software
• Manufacturing software
• Industrial AI
• Digital Manufacturing
• Process optimisation software

Experience within venture-backed or high‑growth technology businesses is highly desirable.

Success in the First 12 Months

• Built a high-quality pipeline across North America
• Won several lighthouse manufacturing customers
• Converted paid pilots into commercial software deployments
• Established multiple customer reference sites
• Created a predictable and repeatable sales process
• Become the recognised commercial face of Productive Machines in North America

Benefits

• Competitive salary with uncapped commission
• Opportunity to build the North American business from the ground up
• Become part of the leadership team
• Significant influence over commercial strategy
• Share option scheme with long‑term upside
• Opportunity to build and lead the North American sales organisation as the business scales

Why Join Productive Machines?

We're not looking for someone to inherit a mature sales organisation, we're looking for someone to build one. If you're excited by creating new markets, winning beachhead customers and helping define the commercial success of a pioneering manufacturing technology company, this is an opportunity to have a lasting impact. You'll work directly with the leadership team to shape the North American strategy and build a business that sets the standard for Physics‑AI machining optimisation.